The Kingdom of Ice
by I Escaped the Loop
Summary: Percy had never anticipated that his life would crumble beneath his feet so quickly, disgraced and banished to the cursed island of Northend. Yet on its frozen shores, he found a new purpose. Within the tower of Icecrown, he found salvation. Percy was no more. Only the Lich King remained...
1. Chapter 1: The Lost Son of Poseidon

**Hi guys! This story is inspired by 'Ruler of Icecrown' by Velocityraptor, as I really liked the story's premise and a spoonful of the ideas but was not pleased with the way the story was executed. **

**This is my attempt to rewrite the story in my own style while adding in a few twists. Just be aware, this Lich King is going to be a tad different from the original but I will try to keep his spirit intact regardless (no pun intended). It is kind of necessary to make a few changes when you are bringing one concept or character from one universe to another. This also goes for any other character that I bring in from World of Warcraft, I will do my research (as I have never played a game of Warcraft in my life) but they will be different from their original counterparts. **

Percy wondered where everything had gone wrong. Not for the first time, but the question kept echoing in his head.

He had once had a pretty good life. Only to see everything fall apart in the matter of weeks.

For crimes that he had never committed, he had been banished to the island of Northend somewhere off the coast of Svalbard. A frozen wasteland surrounded by a thick wall of ice where horrid creatures roamed free without retribution from the gods as long as they never left its shores.

The eternal chill was creeping into his bones as he stared towards the horizon, not sure what he was going to find.

Perhaps a part of him hoped that his father would come riding on the waves and tell him that it had been a terrible misunderstanding, that he could come home and that everything was going to be okay.

But he knew better by now, that hope had died long ago.

He supposed that it had all started with a surprise that he never saw coming.

He had a half-brother, one that even Poseidon himself had been aware of until a few days prior to his introduction to Camp Halfblood. He had known that his father was a bit of a skirt-chaser on par with his brother Zeus simply by the mythology surrounding him alone but to have living proof standing in front of him was a bit of a nasty shock.

Percy still remembered that first meeting quite vividly...

_Flashback_

_Percy was not sure what he thought of the teen in front of him. _

_He could see the resemblance, the strong jawbone and the lean yet athletic build was something they had both inherited from their divine progenitor. But the similarities ended there. _

_In between blond hair that was so bright that it almost looked golden, ocean-blue eyes and a borderline award__winning smile; Percy almost felt like he had lost the genetic lottery if it wasn't for the fact that he did resemble his father a bit more strongly. _

_Yet there was something about Davos that put him on edge, something that was not immediately noticeable from the outside. _

_He could tell that his father wanted to be anywhere but in the room as he awkwardly introduced the two halfbloods._

_"Percy...this is Davos Callighan. Davos, this is Percy Jackson."_

_The two shook hands and Percy thought that he saw something in Davos' eye, only for it to disappear behind a youthful smile. _

_"Nice to meet you! I have never had a sibling before so I hope that we can get along!"_

_Percy somewhat awkwardly smiled back, hoping that the feeling was just because they weren't familiar with one another yet. _

_Perhaps having a brother might not be so bad..._

_End Flashback_

How naive he had been.

Davos might have looked like a nice guy on the outside, certainly the rest of Camp Halfblood thought so considering how popular he became after only a couple of days, but it soon become clear that there was a darker side to the seemingly perfect hero.

Davos had a gift with words and he used that to slowly turn the camp against him one person at a time. It was almost frightening how effective this process had been, even people that he had been close to had been caught up in the hate-campaign that Davos had started against him for a reason that he couldn't understand. And to make matters worse, Davos was careful with how and where he spoke so that his words wouldn't be able to potentially bite him in the ass later.

It had started small, a mere handful of people. Then the teachers started to turn the other way and his tormentors became bolder at the same time more people joined in.

Anna became distant, staying away from him for a reason that she refused to reveal. Whenever she looked at him, her eyes would become filled with sorrow and then she would turn away.

It wouldn't be until one week later that everything came crashing down.

_Flashback_

_Percy was out training in the fields when something suddenly hit him in the back of his head with great force, knocking him out almost instantly. _

_Once he woke up, he found himself in a cell. The guards refused to answer his questions and only glared at him with disgust and loathing. _

_After a while, Percy was forcefully taken to a room to face judgement from the gods. And he couldn't believe it when he heard what he was accused off. _

_Sexual assault! On one of the hunters of Artemis no less! _

_Things got even more bizarre when the 'witnesses' stepped forward, including the victim in question named Naomi. _

_Supposedly he had used his power over water to control her blood to prevent her to defend herself and then proceeded to doing several twisted things like toying with her breasts and ferociously kissing her against her will before them attempting to deflower her. _

_At that point, Davos claimed that he came across the two and intervened in order to save the helpless girl. He even went so far as to say that the only reason he didn't behead him right then and there was so that he would be able to face the Justice of the Gods. _

_The cacophony of shouts wanting him to executed for his atrocious acts was deafening and no matter how much Percy tried to claim innocence, they were determined to see him punished. It seemed like they had already decided that he was guilty. He tried to meet the eyes of his father only to be blocked by the furious crowd. _

_Ultimately, Zeus had judged him guilty and sentenced him to banishment to Northend for all eternity. As he was being hauled out of the chamber, Percy noticed the gleeful joy present in Davos's eyes that was masterfully concealed by a determined expression and immediately knew who was responsible for this mockery of a trial. _

_That very evening, Percy was put on a small airplane with his hands and powers bound and was dropped off on the icy shores. Once the aircraft was out of view, Percy simply fell down on his knees and cried. _

_End Flashback_

Ever since then, Percy had aimlessly wandered the island. He wasn't able to settle down for long as hideous creatures followed his every step, some more beastlike and some who were disturbingly enough looked like they had once been human.

A shiver of pain went through his body and Percy subconsciously put his hand on a wound that one of the monsters managed to land on him earlier. Percy looked at his hand and felt himself go numb, not only was it covered in a disturbing mess of blood and some kind of dark-colored rancid liquid but his hands were becoming grey and the skin looked like it was going to fall off of his bones.

He was dying. He was certain of it. And he was going to die alone, a horrible monster just like his pursuers in the eyes of the rest of the world.

He carefully put his hand into his pocket and took out a seashell that he had picked up on the shore, perhaps he was going crazy as a result of everything that had happened to him but a part of him just wanted to feel his father's presence during what he believed to be his final moments. He whispered into it, somehow imagining that his father would hear his voice.

"Father...I know that you probably don't want to listen to me given everything that has happened and I understand. But I have to tell you something important."

Percy swallowed, barely keeping his tears from falling.

"I...am dying. I am probably beyond saving, but I just beg you. Please... take care of mom for me."

Percy closed his eyes and let the shell drop from his shaking hands into the ocean below, the freezing winds surrounded him and Percy swore that he heard something or someone call for him within their chilling howls.

Having nothing to loose, he blindly followed the voices into the blizzard and carefully opened his eyes once the winds subsided.

He stood before a massive tower made of ice, so tall that he could not not see its top through the clouds. Eager to get away from the raging blizzard, Percy walked up to the entrance and went inside.

Skeletons lined the walls and old bones covered the floor, the remains of those that came before him. Slightly unsettled by the macabre scene in front of him, Percy continued up the nearby staircase and as he got higher and higher he kept seeing more and more frozen remains. Some has equipment that came from different cultures and parts of history while others had armor and weapons of the likes of which Percy had never seen before.

The call got stronger the higher he climbed and somewhere around what he guessed was the top half of the tower, he realised it wasn't one singular entity that called him. It was a chorus of voices, all united under the singular goal to guide Percy to the top of the tower.

Eventually he arrived in a large chamber that seemed to made entirely of ice, Percy felt incredibly unsettled once he saw warriors captured within the walls.

In the center of the chamber laid the skeleton of a great dragon and pinned under one of its massive claws was a sword.

Percy looked towards an ornamental door that was covered in the runes of an unknown language on the other side of the chamber and immediately noticed that the door had no keyhole or doorknob, only a thin slit in the middle.

Understanding what he needed to do, Percy approached the skeleton with great trepidation. He hesitated for a moment, fearing that the ancient beast would reawaken once the sword was no longer in its possession, and then steeled himself as he grabbed hold of the handle.

Immediately a cold sensation traveled up his arm and he almost dropped the sword in shock, only holding on thanks to his determination. He glanced towards the dragon and was relieved to find it remaining in eternal slumber. He looked the weapon over as it started to glow in an almost otherworldly light, as if it was alive.

It was quite large, yet he was able to easily swing it with one hand. Strange glowing runes of a similar kind to the ones inscribed on the door was present on the blade as well, pulsing in rhythm to his heartbeat. Percy curiously ran his finger along the blade and immediately regretted it as he witnessed it freezing over with a mere touch. Thankfully the freezing stopped at the base of the finger or he would have one hand less by now.

Percy walked to the door and carefully pressed the sword into the opening, the symbols glowed and then the door just...disappeared.

As if it was an illusion.

In fact the entire chamber seemed to have suddenly expanded several times over.

Where the door once was, there stood a magnificent throne made of ice. Resting on the throne was a suit of armor, arranged in a way that made it look like it's previous wearer was still present inside it.

Percy swallowed as he stared upon the armor, it was incredibly intimidating and it surely must have stuck terror into the hearts of the ones that faced it in battle. It befitted the ruler of such a dreary place.

Suddenly, Percy felt weak and the ugly wound on his side made itself known once more. He collapsed on the floor and began to puke up blood, his end seemed to be near.

A powerful presence entered his mind, somehow he knew that it belonged to the sword that he carried. It told him to wear the armor, that it would allow him to live. That he would acquire power beyond his wildest imaginations, enough to face the gods that had casted him aside. Even to the point of bringing the dead back to life.

The catch was that he would live with only half a soul, never being able to ascend to the afterlife as his soul would be forever bound to both the blade and the throne in order to allow him to control the monstrous hordes that plagued the island.

He now knew that they were called the Scourge, they were ones who had been banished by the gods just like him. Some for flimsier reasons than others. Cursed to never see Elysium as a result of the island's magic. They desired revenge but their minds were crumbling without their king, and now they wanted him to ascend the throne.

The offer was incredibly tempting and as he felt his life slowly draining away from him, something inside Percy made him rise up and carefully grab the helmet.

He didn't want to die like this. Not pathetically bleeding out on a godforsaken place with his name dragged through the dirt because of a crime that he never committed.

He thought of his loved ones as their images appeared within his mind.

_Anna..._

_Mother..._

_Father..._

_Please forgive me..._

As he lowered the helmet over his head, a great power surged through him and the temperature in the chamber seemed to drop a hundred-fold. The rest of the armor turned into black snow that swirled around him as he stumbled towards the throne, once he properly settled down the armor magically appeared on his person as he was encased in ice. This time, the cold seeped into every part of his body with no escape and the sensation of being frozen alive was unlike anything that Percy had ever experienced.

As Percy was reaching his breaking point, the presence entered his mind again. It told him that he needed five years to allow his body to adapt to its new power, that his icy prison would make him strong.

The choir of voices came back, welcoming him as their new ruler. The one they had awaited for so long.

The last thought that went through his head before he lost consciousness was a soft inquiry of the name of the blade that he knew had led him here.

It responded with only one word.

Frostmourne.

-line-

Back on Olympus, the gods were gathered as they discussed the crop of halfbloods when suddenly Apollo screamed and collapsed on the floor.

They rushed to his side as his haunted words spoke of a new prophecy, one that sent chills down the spines of the entire Pantheon.

_As the longest winter ends, the wall of ice will shatter_

_From the frozen throne, the king of the damned will come_

_Born of sacred blood, he rules the frigid north_

_Tempered by frozen winds, he wields the blade of sorrows_

_Neither living nor dead, his reign remains eternal_

_The mountains will crumble and the oceans churn, as it marks the day of reckoning_

_Rejoice you who have been forsaken,_

_For the Lich King has awakened once more..._

**_In the very first roughdraft for this reimagining, Percy was originally going to be accused of rape. I decided to change it because I didn't want to include such a heavy and sensitive subject in the very first chapter. _**

**_But I still went with something along the same lines because I felt that it would be an easier lie for Davos to make up and have it be believed, rather than Percy being accused of being a spy for Kronos during the Titan's War like in the original (a lie that would fall apart under the least bit of scrutiny). _**


	2. Chapter 2: The Great Hibernation

With each passing year, the icy tomb that surrounded the resting monarch slowly began to change the young one to prepare him for his destiny.

He became muscular and tall, his body now resembling a great warrior rather the scrawny teenager who had arrived at Nortend's frozen shores all that time ago.

His mind grew sharper like a razor's edge as all sorts of knowledge was being absorbed into his brain. Knowledge on strategy and leadership, the magic of blood and frost, how to raise the dead to follow his every command and the art of inflicting pain upon both body and spirit.

His heart and soul grew colder, no longer was he held back by innocence and naivety. He now saw the world with jaded eyes and now witnessed the injustices performed by the gods with more clarity than ever before.

Somewhere deep inside him, there was still a flame that could produce warmth. But it was well hidden behind layers upon layers of ice, designed to protect the last remaining spark of the boy who he had once been.

But that did not mean that Percy was merely sitting back and letting the magic do its work.

As the mental connection between him and his followers grew stronger, he started to issue his first two commands while his body slept.

The first of which was the reinforcement of Icecrown, as he now knew the tower was called. If they truly would have to go to battle with the gods, and Percy suspected that it would happen sooner or later, then they would to turn the tower into a fortress capable of withstanding almost anything.

And with workers that required nether food, water nor rest and carried an unbreakable spirit, it was going to take a fraction of the time it normally would have.

Similar reinforcements would gradually be made throughout the entire island.

The second was for his troops to prepare for war.

Great legions of undead were gathering, some human and some more beastlike. Giant abominations patrolled the shores and the great frostdragon Sindragosa kept a careful eye on the heavens from her perch on top of the tower.

Blades were sharpened and new weapons were put in development. Chief of which being the Plague, a sickness that gradually transformed the victim into an undead slave. It had long existed on Northend, it being the cause of many of the island's horrors, but now the possibility of it being used as a tool in battle was being examined further.

And at the center of it all were his generals.

Kel'thuzad, the undead lich who had once been and still remained one of the most powerful sorcerers in history before he was banished for the use of necromancy. This in spite of him performing said act in order to save his closest friend.

Anub'arak, the King of Spiders and the leader of the Nerubian hordes that guards the underground chambers. Him and his entire people banished as a result of a hero's poisoned lies, a fate not too dissimilar to Percy's own.

And the Four Horsemen, the greatest of all of his death knights. Each one a former hero who was banished and erased from history for daring to question the gods.

They were kindred spirits whose loyalty was unquestionable, his most trusted advisors and most fanatic followers. Each one wielded incredible power and maintained order amongst the ranks while Percy was still in his great slumber.

For five years they waited patiently for his awakening, all the while anticipating the battles ahead.

Then one day, an unholy cold light began to glow from within the helmet.

And then a pulse of raw power surged through the island and all of its inhabitants began to cheer and shout praises at the top of their lungs as the ice begun to crack.

-line-

As the transformation started to reach its conclusion, the powerful magic that heralded the arrival of the new king of Northend had slowly begun to take hold ahead of time. The entire northern hemisphere was covered in ice and the winter lasted well past May and into the middle of June, eventually reaching the Greek isles and Camp Halfblood before it adruptly began to transition into spring around the end of the month.

The gods watched with baited breath and even a bit of anxiety amongst the lesser ones, the prophecy from years prior still echoing clearly within their minds. Part of them hoped that Apollo had been wrong, that what he had seen wouldn't become reality. But deep down they all knew better.

Quite a lot had happened in those five years.

For one, Poseidon had left Olympus on his own accord and now stayed permanently in his palace in the deep ocean. In his belief that Percy was innocent, something that he had never gotten the chance to convey to his son before his banishment, the rift between him and Zeus grew into a chasm that would probably never heal. Then three years after Percy's banishment, an argument between the brothers eventually escalated into a bloody fight that shook Olympus that resulted in the ragefilled Poseidon leaving the sacred mountain in fury and Zeus taking Davos under his wing.

Roughly one year later, Davos ascended to godhood as the God of Champions at the same time Annabeth became the Goddess of Truth.

During his ascension, Davos was gifted with the winged horse Pegasus as well as a golden armor and a sacred blade forged from one of Zeus' lightning-bolts.

Annabeth was gifted with a tiara that in its center housed a third eye, one that allowed her to view inside of someone's mind, as well as a glaive and a pair of golden scales who could determine whether the accused was telling the truth or not.

Now they were officially the two guardians of Camp Halfblood, keeping watch over the other younglings as they too strives to ascend and have their names recorded in history.

Anna became feared as the Protector of Women as she made sure that nobody would attempt to replicate Percy's disgusting actions on her watch. Repeatedly hopping into the minds of the male students, she checked for any indication of perverse thoughts and even more importantly the desire to act out on said thoughts. The result was that the young men became overcome with paranoia and that the young women took control over the camp, gleefully enjoying the power they now possessed.

Davos spent the majority of his time training, sometimes alone and sometimes with the other halfbloods. When he got really desperate, he would even challenge Ares to a spar who always accepted with a wide grin. Now, he didn't always win those particular battles (Ares was the God of War after all) but these were the few instances where he actually lost so Davos swallowed his pride and learned as much as he could from those losses.

When Ares inquired as to why Davos kept picking fights with him, not that he was complaining, the young god simply replied that he was preparing for the future.

What he did not mention was that there was a tiny voice in the back of his head that kept reminding him of the actions that he had committed against his half-brother so many years ago. And that they were going to catch up to him someday...

-line-

The time had come.

Percy summoned his strength and easily broke free of the frozen cocoon, he stood up as he let his gaze fall on his generals that kneeled before him.

Kel'thuzad spoke in a raspy whisper that could chill lesser men to their bones, his voice strained after not using it in many years.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, my king. Icecrown's fortification is complete and your troops are ready to march."

Percy smiled to himself, incredibly pleased with the news. They had exceeded his expectations and he felt pride in what they had accomplished. Even though the tie between him and his followers did convey his feelings rather well, he felt the need to address them directly with his own voice.

A voice that was just as worn and cold as those of his subjects.

"Perfect, you have outdone yourselves. We can finally continue with the next phase of my plan."

He could feel their curiosity peak and he elaborated further.

"We must proceed carefully, the gods will attempt to twist anything we say and do in their favor. Any direct acts of violence against them or theirs will be used against us and they might even get other pantheons involved if they perceive us to be a big enough threat. We will have to be cunning and clever, we will send out eyes and ears throughout the surrounding territories and gather the support of those that has been thrown away and trampled upon. But first and foremost..."

He looked upon the gathering with a confident grin that was only barely visible through his helmet, for once allowing his youth to shine through his frigid exterior.

"Let us get rid of that pesky ice wall, shall we?"

-line-

Percy's towering form stood before the Great Wall of Ice that separated them from the outside world.

He drew Frostmourne and held the blade before him, the runeblade glowing ice-blue as he began to gather power.

With a great warcry, he swung the blade and sent a wave of energy flying towards the frozen barrier that had stood tall for hundreds if not thousands of years. The impact broke the structure into an uncountable number of icechunks that was sent flying only to crash into the ocean with great force.

Percy raised Frostmourne in triumph, he turned towards his people and raised his voice.

"The time has finally come! No more shall we be forgotten, disgraced because of the actions of those who think themselves above us! Now is our time to bring them down, let us remind them that we will never let them walk over us!"

The masses cheered and Percy felt a deeper sense of belonging than he ever had in the past. They were his kin and he was their ruler, yet at the same time they were one and the same. Thousands of minds working as one.

He turned towards the Arch Lich beside him.

"Send out some of your pupils, preferably those that look the most human, to the lands closest to us and let them know that we mean them no harm. But tell them to be careful with their words as they can be interpreted in a number of ways. We do not need to fight a war on two fronts. Begin to also delegate spies to the areas closest to Greece."

Kel'thuzad nodded and immediately set off to perform his task.

Percy smiled to himself, everything was coming together smoothly.

Soon enough, they would all regret turning on him.

And he had something quite special planned for that treacherous half-brother of his...

**For reference, I am counting the actions that the gods commit in the classic mythology as canon. And in that light, many of the Greek Gods are kind of despicable people when you really start to think about the actions that they commit in those stories...**

**And on that note, Davos does have reasons for behaving the way that he does and they will be revealed soon enough. **


	3. Chapter 3: Whispers of the Dead

When the reports of living dead in the Nordic regions first reached Olympus, the gods did nothing.

It wasn't their concern, even if some of them were reported to wear greek armor. It was the duty of the Norse Pantheon to look after their lands and it was not their place to intervene.

But when they started to mention that the undead had been speaking of their great king, they suddenly started to get somewhat nervous. Even more so when they realized how far they had let his influence spread.

Groups of indigenous people throughout an area that stretched across the Nordic regions, through Russia and into Alaska had begun to worship this powerful entity as some kind of death god. The description of the entity in question did nothing to put their minds at ease.

A tall warrior clad in plate-armor and wielding a mystical runeblade with the power to control ice, acting as the supreme overlord of the complicated hive-mind that allowed the undead hordes to operate as efficiently as they did.

And to make matters even worse, it soon became clear that the mysterious king possessed the power to revive the dead. The horrified messengers had spoken of how the dead rose at the mere sound of his voice, eagerly following their new master.

The living followers, now known as the Knights of the Ebon Blade, were not afraid of death whatsoever and remained firm in their belief that they would live forever in their lord's service once they casted off the shackles of their mortal shells. A discovery that had been somewhat startling was that this 'mortal' who fashioned himself a god seemed to deliberately invite those that everyone else threw aside into his fold, the ones who existed at the bottom of society's social ladder.

And right when they thought that the situation couldn't get any worse, bizarre monsters of many different shapes and sizes had been sighted in the Greek Isles. They did not act violently, yet they patiently lied in wait. Like predators observing their prey.

Then one day a patrol encountered a gathering of monsters dangerously close to Camp Halfblood.

And from there everything just spiralling downward further and further...

-line-

Annabeth frowned as she walked down the corridors of Camp Halfblood with Davos by her side, somewhat irritated that she had pulled him away from his training.

"This has better be good, Anna..."

She looked at her partner with a sigh and an eye roll.

"Have you not heard? The scouts found a group of monsters close to the camp and now they want us to interrogate the prisoner they caught. They think that the group belonged to that cult that popped up recently, the one that worships that undead king."

Now Davos suddenly looked a tad more interested. He had heard plenty of rumors about the existence of a powerful king who ruled a kingdom of ice somewhere far north. Perhaps defeating such a foe would get him enough recognition to forever be recorded in the annals of history, perhaps he would even get a constellation named after him...

The duo arrived in the dungeon where a creature that greatly resembled a minotaur was chained to the wall, in spite of its many gruesome injuries it acted like they didn't exist and merely muttered to itself. As the two young gods approached its cell, it suddenly became quiet and stared in their direction. Its lifeless eyes looked like they were made of glass and an cold blue flame burned within them, it was an unsettling sight to say the least.

Davos stepped forward with a cocky smirk, eager to get going so that he could get back to his training as fast as possible.

"So, you foul creatures thought that you could step onto sacred ground without any consequences?"

The monster didn't respond whatsoever. Davos then stepped closer and forcefully took hold of the beast's horns in a show of intimidation.

"Let me make one thing clear. The only reason that you are still alive is because we believe that you possess information that could be of value to us. So it would be in your best interest to cooperate, otherwise..."

Davos put his hand on his sword to empathise his threat.

"...your head will roll."

The response Davos got was certainly not the one that he expected. Deep, hoarse laughter echoed though the cell and the God of Champions was slightly taken aback.

Then it spoke in a voice that felt colder than the winter they had just experienced mere weeks prior.

"It matters not whether this body lives or dies, my king will take care of my spirit and give me life once more. And my king is much greater than any of you, I will never betray him for anything you can offer."

Davos' face twisted in anger and he punched the creature in the face so hard that the sound of bone cracking became audible.

"Watch your tongue! You are speaking to the God of Champions, no wannabe ruler can ever be a match for me! I will tear him to shreds and reduce his kingdom to rubble!"

More mocking laughter escaped the cracked teeth and bloody lips.

"The King of Northend is more powerful than you can ever imagine, you wouldn't have a chance against him in battle. Even now as he watches from the Frozen Throne, he can sense the difference in power between you. A battle with you would be nothing but a waste of his time."

Annabeth who had been silently observing in the corner suddenly moved closer, showing great interest in the minotaur's words as she unintentionally saved it from yet another brutal beating from her furious partner.

"How can you know that? Your 'lord' is miles away from us."

The smile she got in return made her skin crawl.

"Very simple my dear, our minds are connected. Separate, yet acting as one. And the Lich King is the root who holds us together. He sees all that we see and hear all that he hear. And right now he is laughing. Laughing at the mere idea of him being defeated by any of you."

Simultaneously angered by the creature's words and horrified by their implications, Davos beheaded it in one swift motion. The body crumbled into a heap as the head landed in front of him, the flame fading from its eyes.

Anna looked at Davos who in spite of his seemingly calm exterior was clearly just as shaken as she was.

"We must go to Olympus, the gods have to know about this."

Rigidly nodding, he followed his female companion out of the dungeon as they hurried to deliver the important message.

-line-

The atmosphere on top of Olympus was incredibly tense as the youngest members of the Greek Pantheon retold the events that had unfolded.

Zeus frowned.

"It truly is troubling that you were not able to get more information out of that monster. However, given what you have revealed to us perhaps it was for the best that you exterminated it before it were able to give its master more information about us."

Athena suddenly caught on to one specific detail in that story.

"Annabeth...didn't you just say that beast referred to its master as the Lich King?"

The girl nodded, causing the chamber to filled with fearful whispers. Athena turned to Apollo who was sitting at her side, trembling as he paled in horror as the implication of her words sank in.

"Apollo...your prophecy...it is coming true!"

Annabeth looked up at her mother in confusion.

"What are you talking about, mother? What prophecy?"

The Goddess of Wisdom sighed.

"Five years ago, Apollo here beside me delivered a prophecy that spoke of an undead entity called the Lich King and we fear that his coming will bring destruction and unspeakable horrors. Already the longest winter have ended and the presence of the undead on the mainland means that the wall of ice must have broken apart. We don't have much time..."

"And it gets even worse than that."

Every eye was turned to the origin of the new voice, which turned out to be a recently arrived Hermes who was leaning against the doorway.

"I recently spoke with Hades regarding the issue of the undead and I learned something very disturbing."

Zeus leaned forward.

"Continue, Hermes."

Hermes took a deep breath, bracing himself for delivering the horrible message.

"The people that pledge themselves to the Lich King, whether it is the undead of Northend or the new followers in the world of the living, their spirits don't reach the river Styx when they die."

Here he turned to his fellow deities with a grim expression.

"Their spirits remain here on Earth, drawn towards the Lich King's domain where they are eventually reborn as living dead. They don't reach Elysium at all."

The gods spoke in fearful whispers and Annabeth frowned in concern, this was bigger than they could have ever imagined. Still, there was something wrong here. She was missing a piece of the puzzle. Something important...

"Apollo, what were the exact words of the prophecy?"

The god sighed and repeated the words that kept haunting him. He then continued to speak in a worn and tired voice as he tried to purvey its meaning.

"I believe that the lines about the mountains crumbling refers to the destruction of Olympus. Unfortunately, the prophecy does not reveal a lot regarding the identity of the king in question. There is however a lead regarding the so called 'blade of sorrows'."

Apollo turned towards Hephaestus who nodded and continued where his fellow deity left off.

"The words in the prophecy as well as the reports we have of the sword's abilities tells me that we are not dealing with any ordinary piece of metal. I dare say that the weapon that is wielded by the Northern King can be none other than the legendary runeblade Frostmourne."

A shudder went through the ones gathered as a cold wind blew through the chamber, almost as a response to the name being uttered. Davos seemed to pale slightly as he turned towards Hephaestus.

"The cursed blade?"

The old forger nodded.

"Forged from a frostgiant's corpse and ore mined within Hel, the norse land of the dead. From what I have been told, it was gifted to the king of a powerful viking-tribe by the Norse Gods in gratitude for his loyal service. It made him almost unstoppable and he laid waste to all who stood in his path, there was a time where he was considered to be a god in a mortal's body. However, everyone who has tried to claim the blade after his passing has either lost their mind or suffered a horrific fate."

Davos frowned.

"And now someone else has picked up where that old warchief left off."

Anna nodded and then she spoke in a grave tone.

"There is however one thing that is very concerning."

Everyone's attention was on her.

"The line about this king being born of sacred blood suggests that he is a halfblood. And last time I checked there is currently only one living halfblood that not present at the camp."

Davos turned to her, not liking the direction the conversation was going in.

"You can not be serious, Anna. Are you seriously trying to tell me that Percy might be..."

"He is still born of sacred blood, Poseidon's blood. And let us not forget that he was banished to Northend, the place where all of this madness originates from. There can be no one else."

Zeus cleared his throat and silenced the two youngsters with a stern glance that left no room for discussion.

"Regardless of whether that disgrace lies behind the Northern King or not, we can not allow him to continue with his conquest nor his careless meddling of the natural order. You two will go with the Hunters of Artemis to stop him. Depart for Northend as soon as you are able."

His tone signaled the end of the meeting and as Annabeth and Davos left to prepare for the battle that was no doubt awaiting them, the goddess couldn't help but to ponder on the past.

Even after the trial and unveiling of his horrible actions, she could not shake the young man that she had once loved out of her head. Nor the look of absolute shock and terror that had been present on his face as his crimes were laid bare before him. Part of her wanted to believe that he was innocent but Zeus' judgement was absolute and everyone else was convinced of his guilt so she had to put her personal feelings aside and allow justice to be delivered.

Now as she prepared to face the terrors of the forsaken island, she looked up towards the heavens hoping that somehow finds the answers she sought within the gathering of clouds.

'Percy, if you truly are the Lich King...forgive me...'

**How do you like the new backstory that I made for Frostmourne? It felt appropriate somehow to have it be connected to Norse mythology given its connection to ice and the warrior-culture of the vikings. **


	4. Chapter 4: Clash at the Frozen Shore

They were coming.

Percy knew it in his bones, far before the scouts reporting Greek ships approaching the island. And Davos, Naomi and Annabeth had all been sighted on the ship in the front of the formation.

No doubt they come seeking battle, trying to prevent him from exacting his revenge. But his people counted on him. He couldn't fail them now.

He mentally commanded his troops to stand ready and be prepared, he suspected that the Hunters of Artemis would fight alongside them. Perhaps he would get an excellent opportunity to strike at the woman whose lies had caused him to be banished...

He gazed down at his vast army from the window of his throne-room and smiled to himself.

If the Hunters thought that they were going to obtain an easy victory, they had another thing coming...

-line-

The scene in front of her was nothing short of disgusting.

Annabeth grimaced as she watched Davos passionately kiss his current girlfriend Naomi in a unprofessional manner completely unbefitting of their situation.

It hadn't been all that surprising to her to learn that Davos and Naomi had become a couple, the two had rather vocally proclaimed their 'undying love' for one another (it probably wouldn't last) . In spite of the young huntress's teasing regarding the fact that she snagged the hottest guy in camp right from under her nose, Anna didn't particularely care about their romantic connection.

Davos wasn't her type for a start, far too brash and loud even without throwing his ego into the equation.

Secondly, she was not interested in getting together with another man. Not after what had happened last time...

The cold mists surrounded the ship and they could barely see in front of them, nonetheless they could tell that they were approaching the island. The two lovebirds thankfully broke apart at this point, she couldn't stand watching them make out any longer.

Suddenly a hollow screech echoed through the air and the group of warriors looked towards the heavens to see an undead dragon flying towards them. The dreadful beast shot a beam of frozen light into the ocean, causing it to be covered in a meter-thick layer of ice. The enchanted arrows did nothing to stop it and they were caught in the beam's path, resulting in all of the ships being captured within the frozen sea.

Davos looked out towards Northend and felt his blood freeze in his veins at the sight of what was awaiting them, he greatly fought the instinct to turn around and flee for his life.

Gathered at the shores were a great horde of undead warriors, so large that it couldn't be measured. Some walked on foot while others rode on skeletal mounts and there were also grotesque abominations that towered over the the rest of the horde, stitched together from the remains of multiple other beings into hideous monsters.

Davos kept a vigilant eye on his foes as he and his fellow warriors got down from their stranded vessels, praying that the ice would not break under their feet. No doubt unspeakable horrors awaited them under the sea, equal to those that awaited them on land.

Naomi grit her teeth, they were greatly outnumbered. Hopefully their skill would be enough to survive the onslaught. But there was something that bothered her greatly.

"Why are they just standing there? Why are they not attacking?"

Davos frowned, Naomi was right. They were just standing there, hissing and snarling at them yet not moving to confront them.

As if an invisible hand held them back...

"Yeah, what are they waiting for?"

A whisper flew from Anna's lips before she could stop it.

"Orders."

Both her teammates turned to her, eyes wide. Naomi looked at her suspiciously.

"How to you know that?"

Anna reeled back, not sure how to respond.

"I...I don't know. It just...makes sense, doesn't it? Why else would they just..."

Anna was interrupted by one of the hunters who were trying to get a better look from the top of one of the central poles.

"Up there! On the balcony! It is him!"

Everyone looked towards the great fortress of ice and on the balcony there indeed stood a figure that emitted pure power, his glowing eyes being visible from a great distance away.

Suddenly the freezing winds begun to pick up speed and everyone huddled together as it blew right through robes and armor alike. The visibility became worse and the group almost thought that they had lost their minds when they heard a voice clearly speaking from within the blizzard.

_Intruders..._

Even the normally composed and fearless hunters were shivering in fear as the words echoed all around them. There was no question of who the speaker was.

_Turn back and leave, or no one will leave this shore with their lives..._

The voice was as cold as the ice around them and for the first time, Davos' courage faltered. No mere mortal could possibly hold this much power, this was almost the same level as Apollo or his father. Would it even be possible to defeat him at all...

No!

He couldn't allow himself to think like that! The battle hadn't even started yet and he was already letting his enemy get to him!

Seeing his team's spirits and moral sink, he drew his blade and took a step forward as he shouted into the winds.

"We will never submit to you! We have come to deliver punishment for your sins against nature and we will not leave until justice has been dealt! So come down and face me!"

He stood bravely in front of his team, giving them his encouragement to pick themselves up and get their heads back in the game.

However, his speech did not have the desired effect on the Lich King. A chilling laughter echoed through the frozen air and Davos felt an eerie sense of dejavu.

_So little godling...you claim that you can bring judgement upon me? Here in my kingdom, where my power is at its peak? Don't make me laugh, you would fall like rotting timber. I assure you that you will have a hard enough time fighting my warriors as it is. _

Furious at the dismissal of his power, Davos roared back in anger.

"I will destroy them all! I will tear them limb from limb and color the ice red with their blood! Throw everything you have at me, it won't make a difference!"

_Is that so?_

The unmistakable figure on the balcony lifted his blade skyward, letting it shine with unholy light. And to Davos' unspeakable horror, the dark forces in front of him let out bellowing warcries as they were filled with the King's power.

_Prove it._

As soon as the words were spoken, the horde charged. Gripping his sword more tightly, Davos was very well aware of the glares that were sent his way.

Never before had he cursed his big mouth as much as he did in that moment.

In the chaos of clashing swords and spells being cast left and right, nobody seemed to notice a figure heading up the stairs into the fortress.

-line-

Percy had to say, he was partially impressed by how stubbornly the group of hunters and halfbloods tried to stand against the onslaught.

But it didn't truly matter.

The forsaken had centuries of bottled up anger and lust for battle to get out of their systems, not to mention superior numbers.

He saw Naomi and Davos fighting side by side and slowly his face twisted into a grim smile. He had an idea of how to deliver his judgement onto them both in one fell swoop.

Something slow and painful, something that many others would find distasteful.

But he was through playing nice.

Her and Davos' lies had taken his life away from him. He may have found a new purpose but it did not lessen the sting of their actions.

With a command delivered to its proper recipient, he turned away from the balcony and retreated into his inner sanctum.

He needed all of his inner strength for the confrontation that was to come.

An intruder had been detected inside of Icecrown and he already knew who it was...

-line-

Naomi cursed up a storm as the dead kept coming at her no matter how many corpses that laid strewn at her feet. Her bow lied beside her, it's string broken and the wood being cracked down the middle. Thankfully she still had her hunting-knife to defend herself with.

When she had heard that she was going to be fighting living dead, she had pictured something similar to what she had seen from zombies in movies. Shambling corpses who just mindlessly wandered around.

If only things could have been that simple. These were a far more deadly breed of undead, graceful and precise in their movements and with a functioning mind capable of proper strategy. If it wasn't for their grey skin that was only barely staying on their bodies or the necrotic energy pulsing through their veins, you almost couldn't tell that they were dead.

What should have been mere pest control had quickly become an intense fight for survival as their perceived advantage quickly proved to worth very little against countless opponents who were easily as skilled as they were. And unlike them, the dead did not get tired...

Without warning, an insane pain suddenly tore through her body as a footsoldier she thought she had already dealt with suddenly jumped on her and ferociously bit down on her shoulder. She screamed as she desperately tried to get the ghoul to let go, only for its grip to harden even more.

In the meantime, Davos seemed to have gone into a rhythm as the line of opponents never seemed to end.

Parry.

Slash.

Block.

Strike.

It was a pattern that was intertwining with his heartbeat as he kept swirling in his lethal dance. But his stamina was starting to run out and he could see that the rest of his team was not in better condition.

A scream reached his ears and he looked to his side to see his girlfriend frantically throwing herself against everything in her vicinity to get the ghoul away from her.

Not being one to enjoy suffering, unless it was related to the phantom that he was certain lurked somewhere on the island, he quickly ran over to Naomi and managed to wrestle her attacker off of her.

He turned to her with some sort of witty remark on his tongue, only for it to die in his throat as he saw the gruesome bite-wound that marred her once beautiful neckline.

Looking around, he gritted his teeth as he realized they had no chance to win this battle. He had to make a decision that he absolutely hated.

It was then that he made a startling discovery.

"Where is Annabeth?"

A shaky finger pointed towards the enemy stronghold.


	5. Chapter 5: The Seeker

**Hi guys! Sorry for not updating in a while but getting back into a proper job after two years of unemployment is more taxing than you'd think, especially mentally. Even if said job is just sitting in a chair and rewriting old documents in Microsoft Word. I am still working on new chapters but they are going to come out more slowly now that I actually have a job to go to. **

**With that said, I am going to reply to what quite a few reviewers have inquired about by saying that this isn't going to be a story where Percy is going to stand alone on top of the world with nobody from his past getting a chance to redeem themselves. **

**It is just not in my nature to write like that, I sure can if I really wanted to but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth afterwards.**

**Don't worry, punishments will be served and I have had to get creative with some of them. Hard times are coming for Olympus and plenty of characters are going to get what is coming to them. But there will still remain some people from his former life hanging around after his revenge is complete, you will just have to wait and see what I have in store. **

**With that said, enjoy your read!**

Of all the places that Annabeth had been to throughout her life, she could definitely say that the palace of frost that she was now within might be one of the most somber places she had ever seen.

The towering structures of ice and the detailed murals on the walls would have been incredibly beautiful if it wasn't for the feeling of death and loss that constantly lingered wherever she walked.

In spite of the dour atmosphere and the unsettling eyes of her watchers following her every step, Anna pressed forward.

She couldn't leave these shores without having gotten her answers and there was only one being who could give them to her.

The monsters mostly left her alone and only ackowledged her existence by snarling in her direction when she veered off the straight path. It was clear that they didn't want her to venture further into the fortress beyond her journey towards the throne room. Part of her wondered why they didn't strike her down for entering into their stronghold but every time she thought about asking it aloud, she always answered it herself.

The Lich King ordered them to let her through, he wanted to see her.

She shivered as a skull crumbled into fragments beneath her boots, in spite of being shielded from the freezing winds the inside of the fortress somehow felt even colder than outside. No doubt due to the power of the king of this particular castle.

Perhaps he truly was some kind of god after all...

The young goddess suddenly came to a stop in front of a massive set of doors that were sealed by a powerful spell. She could feel an incredible power beyond and realized that she had reached her destination, she was about to knock when a voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Ah...you are here."

She almost jumped as another undead floated in front of her. His elaborate robes indicated authority and Anna couldn't help but to feel a strong sense of unease in his presence.

The undead outside were already a step-up from typical zombies and this one was even more powerful than them, most likely a general or commander of sorts.

"My king is expecting you. Please wait a moment."

He floated up to the door and gently put his hand on the door. The door glowed and then swung up on its own accord.

She took a few careful steps inside, enraptured by the sight that awaited her.

Even though he now possessed a much more frightening and imposing visage, she knew in her heart that her lost love was in front of her. He looked incredibly majestic as he rested on his throne of ice, his posture straight and proud as he gazed down at her. A freezing sensation traveled down her spine as their eyes met and his glowing eyes seemed to see right into her soul.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her voice as much as she could. Still uncertain of how much humanity there still existed within him, she decided a formal approach was the smarter move.

"Greetings, Nothern King. I come seeking answers, answers that only you can provide."

He leaned foreward, seemingly intrigued by her request.

"And what are the answers you seek, goddess?"

The king's voice was surprisingly gentle in spite of its inherent coldness, like light snowfall softly brushing against her cheek instead of the raging blizzard she had heard previously out on the frozen shores.

The words almost got stuck in her throat, but nonetheless she spoke her request.

"Are you truly Percy Jackson, the lost son of Poseidon?"

The silence begun to settle, only interrupted by his shallow breathing. She heard him rise from his throne and walking over to her as his armored boots clinked with every step. Annabeth was terrified to look up, unaware if she had offended him in some way.

A hand was placed on her head and his ribcage rattled as a deep chuckle made its way past his lips. Incredibly confused, she looked up to see a pale familiar face giving her a sad smile.

"It has been far too long, Anna. I have so missed you so much..."

-line-

'Goddamit Anna, can't you see that he is gone!?'

Davos was cursing up a storm as he was blindly running through the icy corridors, cutting down anything that tried to stand in his way.

Him and Annabeth may not have always had the best relationship, but he would be damned if he was gonna leave anyone behind on this crazy island!

Finding one person in a complex this big was going to be a major challenge, especially since the corridors all looked the same, but he wasn't going to give up.

He came to a sudden stop as an undead of a much higher stature than the other dregs that littered the halls stepped in front of him at the end of a long hallway. Davos was about to cut him down like the others but the power radiating from him made the hairs on the back on his neck stand up.

He gripped his sword even tighter, this was going to be a much harder challenge than what came before.

The undead then surprised him by speaking, the sound of his raspy whisper chilling him to the bone.

"My king is speaking to an important guest and does not wish to be interrupted. I would advice you to wait here, they will be finished soon enough."

Davos gritted his teeth, he didn't have time for this!

"Like hell I am leaving her alone with that monster! Now let me through or I will cut you to ribbons!"

A sinister gleam entered the milky eyesockets and the god felt the powerful magic in the air around him. He made himself ready for battle. His opponent was floating a few inches of the ground, gathering strength.

"Is that so? Then I have no other choice..."

Before Davos had a chance to react the lich slammed his staff into the ice-floor, causing it to break apart under the godling's feet. He lunged forwards only for the spellcaster to float out of reach as he plummeted down into the abyss below.

The fall was incredibly lengthy and the impact with the ground almost knocked him unconscious, he looked up towards the ceiling and saw a incredibly tall shaft that he had fallen through as well as the floor reforming itself above him.

He groaned and then rose to realise that he was standing in the middle of a massive boneyard that must have contained the remains of an entire army all by itself. He ignited his sword using the power of the Thunderbolt within it as he tried to see, he could make out shapes in the darkness that scurried away from the light of his makeshift torch.

They were probably the vermin of the castle. Nothing to worry about.

The sounds of bones shifting and clicking confirmed that he was no longer alone in the chamber. Davos waved his lightsource around wildly as he tried to spot the beast that was no doubt laying in wait, ready to pounce the second he let his guard down.

The ground trembled beneath his feet and Davos only barely had enough time to jump out of the way as the bonepile he had been standing on shattered and the largest insect that he had ever seen emerged from the depths. He turned his sword to it partially for intimidation, partially to get a better look at it.

It was absolutely enormous, larger than an adult elephant, and covered in an armored exoskeleton that he could just tell was going to be a huge chore to try and cut through. The shell was a combination of gold and purple with azure shell pieces that protected its back and lower body. It moved around on four powerful legs that were thicker that wooden logs and a third pair had developed scythe-like blades that were positioned in front of its face in a manner similar to a praying mantis. A curved horn was present on its head and its eyes were bottomless pools of hatred and loathing that made even the normally fearless young god take a few steps back.

It took a step towards him and Davos felt beads of sweat run down his forehead, with how exhausted he was from fighting the enemies outside he wouldn't stand a chance against this thing.

"So child, you intend to fight me with that? Don't make me laugh."

The sinister voice that came from the creature's mouth was unlike anything that he had ever heard. It had a buzzing quality and almost sounded like multiple individuals were speaking at once.

A voice in the back of his head whispered to Davos that he wasn't going to make it out of this fight alone. That he was going to die down here where nobody could hear him.

"It has been long since I have seen one of your kind down here, let alone tasted the flesh of the gods. You may not be that one, but you are similar enough that this will be immensely satisfying..."

His legs shaking, his eyes never left the creature in fear that glancing away for a mere second would invite it to attack. Yet still, there was something about its words that unsettled him...

"Who is 'that one'?"

The beast chuckled, a horrible sound.

"Another boy of godly blood that fashioned himself a hero, just like you. And just like you, he was rather wicked underneath that exterior of gold and marble. He banished my entire people to this wretched place we now call home many centuries ago, merely due to our refusal to bow before him."

Something about the tale sounded incredibly familiar, and not just because of the ugly stain on his own family-tree. He tried to recall where he had heard this particular story before as the insect drew closer and closer, eagerly rubbing the scythe-blades against each other.

It hit him like a lightning-bolt from a clear sky.

Davos looked at his adversary in absolute horror, suddenly realizing who the monstrosity in front of him was.

"By the Gods, you are Anub'arak."

The crypt was filled with the crazed laughter of the monster as the young god realized how screwed he was.

"Indeed, I am the King of Spiders and the Keeper of the Sacred Crypts. Long ago, my people loyally guarded the tombs of the great warriors and heroes throughout the ages. A truly honorable duty, even if perhaps not the most glamorous one. And before we could fully comprehend what happened, we were robbed of everything. All because a spoiled brat couldn't accept that my people only bowed before the Lord of the Dead. But enough talk of ancient history..."

The towering cryptlord let loose a chilling roar that shook the stonewalls and forced Davos to shield his face from the flying dust and debree. Three other large insects of the same brood as their king emerged from the darkness and Davos was letting loose every foul word in his vocabulary.

"Let us see how long you can last before you draw your last breath..."

-line-

Percy thought that he was as prepared as he possibly could be for the reunion with the woman that he once loved.

Yet as she bowed before him, having blossomed from a developing teenager into a beautiful woman, there were some old feelings that stirred far inside of his frozen inner. He put a comforting arm on her shoulder as he temporarily removed his helmet, he wished for them to truly speak face to face.

She looked up at him and her breath hitches, his probably would have as well if it wasn't for his self-control. Nonetheless, it was the past and it didn't matter to him now. Or at least, it shouldn't...

"Annabeth, rise. You are not here for pleasantries. You are here for answers, are you not?"

Somewhat shaken but still maintaining composure, his old flame rose from her kneeling position and moved to stand before him. Her eyes were full of pain and longing, clearly wishing to embrace him but too fearful to do so.

"There are so much that I'd like to ask you. What happened to you, Percy? How did you gain such incredible power?"

Percy smiled softly, for an undead at least.

"As you have surely noticed by now, this island is quite a special place. Having served as a prison for those banished by the gods for millennia, this land has gradually absorbed the power of the wandering souls until it has almost become sentient in a sense. And as any necromancer would tell you, souls are one of the most potent magical powersources that you can get your hands on. It just requires rather twisted ways to access it. I am certain that my loyal arch lich Kel'thuzad can explain it in more detail if you wish to know more."

Percy's eyes grew distant as he begun to recall the painful moments that changed his life forever.

"When I arrived here all those years ago, it was inhospitable. One of the undead wounded me and as I was near death, the island itself and all the souls trapped here led me to this throne-room. I took up the mantle of king not necessarily with the intention of ruling, but rather to keep living. I was encased in ice as the power that rested within this desolate frozen wasteland merged with my own. As such, the entire landmass and everything around it responds to my will."

Annabeth was enraptured by his tale, suddenly understanding the deeper layers of Percy's power. The former halfblood was not merely controlling the ice and snow, it was a part of his very being. His voice was carried by the frozen winds because he willed it to do so.

"But as you know all too well, everything has a price."

The shift in tone of Percy's voice put her on edge, it had an almost underlying tone of sadness but it was buried far beneath layers of cold acceptance.

"As Northend's king, I am now bound to the island for the rest of eternity. I can leave it for a limited time in order to support my troops but ultimately I still have to return one way or the other. And let us not forget that I am no longer amongst the living."

He gently cupped Anna's head in his hands as the young goddess felt a tear run down her cheek, having understood what the frozen monarch was trying to say.

"I don't belong in your world. Let go of me and move on, it is for the better."

Annabeth wiped her eyes, feeling her heart break in two. She had tried to deny it for so many years, but there was still a part of her that loved Percy Jackson. And although she understood his reason for keeping his distance, it didn't soothe the pain.

But there was still one last question that had yet to be answered.

She once more looked up at Percy, bringing out her golden scales. The undead ruler gave her a questioning look and she felt slightly embarrassed.

"I have to be sure that my following question is answered truthfully."

She was met with a raised eyebrow.

"And you didn't take it out until now?"

Sorrow was evident in her voice and her voice trembled slightly.

"This answer is more important to me than any other..."

Percy's eyes closed and he took a deep breath. He understood what came next. Anna steadied her voice as much as she could, finally voicing the question that had plagued her for so long.

"Percy, why? What possessed a man like you to seek something that wasn't yours to claim? Why did you assault Naomi?"

Cold eyes looked at her and Anna felt like she was one that was being judged rather than the other way around.

The words that came out of his mouth made her heart skip a beat.

"I never did."

The scales remained motionless.

Percy was telling the truth.

Percy was innocent.

Anna collapsed to the floor as her life fell apart before her very eyes.


	6. Chapter 6: World of Glass

**Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait but this was a tough one, there was just so much that I wanted to fit into this chapter and I kept rewriting Thalia's portion numerous times. The next one might take even longer because I have never written a proper one-on-one fight-scene before.**

**Just a heads up in case it isn't clear enough, I have not read the Percy Jackson-books and if I get anything wrong about any of the characters then I apologize. I am trying to read up the best that I can but sometimes changes will have to happen in order to make the story work. That is just kind of the nature of fanfiction.**

**I will also say that I can not believe that over 100 people has decided to follow this story! I humbly thank every single one of you and all the people who has left their kind reviews. It means a lot when I am still trying to find my footing as a writer. **

**With that said, enjoy your read!**

Everything was spinning.

Annabeth barely comprehended the two arms who pulled her into a strong embrace or the hand that was stroking her hair.

Everything that she had worked for. Everything she had accomplished. Everything that she had hoped to achieve.

All based on a lie. A lie that had destroyed so much for so many.

Her vision was blurry from the tears that was now flowing down her cheeks, slowly forming a puddle on the icy floor. Soft comforting murmurs from the monarch that held her close tried to soothe her broken spirit and with every sob she took, she felt light snow drift down on her hair.

"I didn't know anything until I was brought into the trial chamber that day." His voice was soft and slightly distant.

She didn't resist the gentle pull that gestured for her to sit down beside him as he sat back on his throne. She listened attentively as he allowed her head to rest in his lap.

"I had been out in the training-fields, practicing my stances, when something struck me from behind. I awoke in a cell and was then led to a room full of voices who accused me of something horrible. I wasn't allowed to speak at all, nobody wanted to hear my side of the story. All they wanted was to see me punished."

He sighed deeply, his voice worn and tired.

"All this time I have always wondered how it all spiraled downwards so fast. How it came that every single person that I knew turned against me in the matter of a few weeks."

He looked down at the girl by his side with inquiring eyes.

"Perhaps you can shed at least some light on this question, Annabeth."

The young goddess frowned, trying as best as she could to answer the question that she had been given.

"It is a bit complicated but I will try."

"I ask of nothing more."

His patient tone eased her a bit and as such she begun to tell him what she knew.

"I am not entirely sure when exactly it started but meanspirited rumors about you had been flying for quite a while before I got pulled into Davos's group. I originally did so with the intention of putting a stop to it, but something about him drew me in. His words got stuck in my head and after a while I...started to believe them."

Anna's voice trembled for a moment, ashamed of her failure to resist his allure, but she kept going.

"Most of these rumors were relatively harmless in the beginning. Stuff about how you read dirty magazines in secret and that he had once caught you watch some kind of messed up porno-flick. A bit humiliating and weird considering that you were the guy in question but then again, you weren't the first. Every guy on camp has had their fair share of experiences with that particular side of their biology so nobody really thought that much of it. In fact, I remember some of our friends telling him off for spreading that kind of stuff to other people without your permission."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Percy's face, but it faded when he saw the look in her eyes.

"From there, things just got worse and worse. He spoke of your perverted fantasies, how you were attracted towards the forbidden. As if you were some kind of hideous monster or werewolf underneath your human skin. He spoke so dramatically about it, made it sound like some kind of horror-story. He told us girls to watch our backs otherwise we might be your first victims once your control over your urges snapped."

She felt his body tense and heard him clench his fists so tightly that it would have probably drawn blood, if he had been alive that is. She continued.

"When we heard about what almost happened to Naomi, we never stopped to ask if it was true. It just...made sense. This was what Davos had warned us about all this time. I saw that look of shock on your face that day and a part of me wanted to believe that you were innocent, but the verdict had fallen and there was nothing that could be done to change it. So I decided to just accept it and move on with my life."

Percy gently put his finger under her chin and tilted it up so that their eyes met, his held an acceptance and a glimmer of warmth.

"There was nothing else you could have done, Anna. Perhaps moving on was the wisest decision. But in spite of that, you still came here. Why?"

Anna frowned slightly.

"After I ascended to goddess, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. No matter how hard I tried to push it out of my head, that nagging feeling kept coming back. Something told me that I wasn't going to get the answer that I was looking for on Olympus so I decided to seek out the one person who could give it to me."

Nodding, Percy leaned back on his throne as he processed the information that he had been given. Anna's story provided many answers but far from all of them. He still had yet to figure out Davos's motive and his intuition told him that there was something far bigger going on than it first seemed...

-line-

That was it.

They couldn't wait any longer, they had to get the survivors out of there now.

Thalia has never felt more frustrated in her life; two of their most powerful warriors has run straight into the enemy stronghold, their ships are incased in ice and they have no chance to fight off their attackers on their own. Several had nasty injuries and desperately needed medical attention, especially considering the low temperature. Thankfully, the battle seemed to have calmed down slightly and the hunters were allowed to catch their breath.

Perhaps the Lich King thought that they were such a pitiful sight that he decided to let his forces go easy on them for the time being. They must look utterly pathetic right now...

The undead occasional stared in their direction but they had otherwise ceased their assault, apparently they were satisfied with the blows that they had dealt them so far. Either that, or Davos had saved them a heap of trouble by leaving the battlefield as he had been the one who had drawn their ire to begin with.

One of the knights suddenly broke from the rest of the group and leasurely walked up to them, he didn't seem to come with the intent of of causing further bloodshed but the remaining hunters tensed up regardless. Nobody could blame them, they were kind of defenseless at the moment.

The knight cleared his throat and then adressed them in a formal and surprisingly clear tone in spite of his decaying vocalcords.

"Hunters of Artemis, this battle's conclusion is forgone and I think that you know this as well. Normally this would result in the snow being painted with your blood...but our merciful king is willing to let you leave in peace. Under one condition."

Thalia took a deep breath. Bargaining with the enemy was usually not only dangerous and risky but humilitating as well, but they had no other choice if they wanted to escape alive. She swallowed her pride and stepped forward.

"We are listening."

The response was not what she expected.

"Lady Annabeth Chase is not to be harmed regardless of what you may learn. And take Davos Callighan with you while you are at it."

Thalia was a bit confounded by the terms laid out before her. She looked towards the rest of her team who all nodded in her direction. She smiled to herself.

_'I guess he still cares about her even now...'_

"Lady Annabeth is one of us, regardless of strong wind or high water. I will not allow her to come to harm and neither will the rest of my comrades. And as for Davos, we will drag him back kicking and screaming if we have to after the mess that he has caused."

The knight looked them over for any sign of deception and then nodded, gesturing for Thalia to follow.

"She awaits in my king's throneroom and your other friend seems to be heading there as well, I will lead you."

Thalia somewhat reluctantly followed the decrepit warrior into the intimidating structure, aware of the risk of being led into the dungeon or a torture-chamber. But she had no other guide and she didn't have any time to waste.

She followed the knight through the winding corridors and up a flight of stairs when loud shouts from the lower floors caused her to jump, she recognized that that voice...

A figure suddenly ran into the corridor from a doorhole that was attached to a staircase that led further downwards and Thalia didn't recognize it at first. Then it stepped into the light of a nearby torch and Thalia gasped as her eyes now rested on a very battered and wounded Davos, his body covered in wounds and blood of two different colors dripping from his blade. She walked forward, flinching as she surveyed his injuries. No doubt the battle he fought was a long and challenging one.

"Davos, can you keep walking? I am going to get Annabeth out of here, according to my guide it is not that much left until we reach the Lich King's throne room."

The God of Champions gritted his teeth but nodded, using his tunic to clean his blade before sheathing it. Before they started to walk, Thalia turned towards her peer with a question on her lips.

"What happened to you anyway? You look like you just went a few rounds with Ares."

The words slipped out fast, almost suspiciously so.

"Just finished off a giant bug that was a lot tougher than it should have been, that's all."

He then continued to walk without another word, followed by the other two. Thalia gave her fellow halfblood some very questioning glances, she felt like there was something that he wasn't telling her. She would have to talk to him about it later, their first priority was getting out everyone alive.

After what felt like a much longer walk than it most likely was, they finally stood before the ornamental doors that led to the inner sanctum. Upon merely touching the elaborate carvings, the knight proceeded to open the door for them only to step back rather than follow them inside.

Thalia understood, it had completed its task by leading them there but it was not allowed to go any further. They were on their own now.

"Thank you for your help."

The knight nodded and walked back from where it came, she took a deep breath and stepped into the inner sanctum before her.

Never before had she felt so small.

One part because of the sheer size of the chamber she was entering.

The second because of the intimidating armored king that was looking down at her from his throne of ice with the coldest eyes she had ever seen. The helmet had been placed on one of the armrests and in spite of the constant exposure to the freezing cold and the lack of lifeblood that flowed through the empty veins, the weathered face was still highly recognizable. Annabeth looked like a delicate porcelain-doll next to this behemoth of a man.

And yet he so fondly stroked her hair as she sat by his side, she looked at ease in his presence. No signs of distress or hidden discomfort.

Thalia let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, her friend was okay. Everything was going to be alright.

Now all that they had to do was get out of here without invoking the King's ire.

"Release Goddess Annabeth immediately, you monster!"

Damn it...

-line-

Percy couldn't decide whether he was amused or not as his halfbrother put on his tough guy-act, in spite of his wounds and fatigue being visible for all to see.

On one hand, it was kind of funny to see a guy who barely reached up to his chest act like he actually stood a chance against him. Size wasn't what determined the outcome of a fight, there were far more other factors that were in Percy's favour, but it did make for a funny image nonetheless. On the other, it spoke of how far removed Davos was from reality. He actually thought that he could win against him here in his domain. That he had any sort of say here in his fortress.

Perhaps it was time to take the winds out of his sails.

But before anything else...

"Annabeth, go with them. You don't belong here amongst us damned, you have a much higher calling."

She gave him a slightly startled look but complied with his request. She walked slowly but steadily over to her comrades, getting embraced by Thalia upon reaching the duo.

He turned his attention to his brother, still in a fighting-stance but now confused and suspicious regarding his actions. He rose from his throne as he placed his helmet over his head once again, it was time to finally teach this pompous brat a lesson or two.

Davos shied back a few steps as the size-difference between them got even more pronounced, yet still stood his ground. Though whether his shaking knees was from fear or the cold was a bit of a question.

He fixed the demigod in his gaze, fully intending to teach Davos a few things about proper manners.

"Do you truly think that you have any power to make demands? Especially since your people were the ones who drew your blades first?"

Davos tried to swallow his anxiety as the unquestionable ruler of the frozen fortress walked towards him, powerful magic gathering in his hands.

"Let me make one thing clear, the only reason why I am realising Annabeth into your care is that a goddess of her stature should not stay here amongst the cursed. She has done nothing to earn my wrath and as such, I agreed to grant her request of letting your people retreat in peace."

The temperature continued to drop as the king's power resonated through the air.

"And yet you and you alone continue to test my patience. Are you so desperate to flex your muscles that you are willing to put the lives of all of your comrades at risk to do it?"

Davos once more felt burning glares sear into his back but he paid them no heed. His focus was on the Goliath in front of him.

"I already took care of your pest-problem down in the basement. They weren't that tough, can't imagine that you would be any tougher."

Now that got Percy's attention, he put a finger to his temple and wordlessly communicated with the guardians of the crypt.

The sounds of his deep chuckles made everyone present jump slightly.

"Is that so? In that case, would you like to explain why there is not a single dead body down in the catacombs?"

Davos froze up and tripped over his words in a desperate attempt to explain himself, only to go silent at Thalia's viscous glare. Percy wouldn't deny that he felt an incredible sense of satisfaction seeing his treacherous brother squirm.

"Have you forgotten that I am connected to every soul in my army? I can hear their voices no matter how large the distance between us may be. And from what I can see, the only reason you got away was because of a fancy little light-trick. Quite fitting for a false hero like yourself."

Rage bubbles up inside of his brother and Davos lashed out in fury.

"Be quiet! The only false hero here is you! The vile monster who dared to lay hand on Naomi!"

The temperature plummeted and ice-crystals started to form around the Lich King's feet, Davos felt the cold sink into his bones and his fingers going numb. Two massive blades of ice formed in the ruler's hands, each one slightly longer than his forearm. His voice was much like the swords he wielded, cold and sharp like a razor's edge.

"Keep spouting lies while you can, they will come to light soon enough. You have boasted about your power long enough."

He raised one blade and pointed it towards his brother, the young hero rapidly paling and shivering in terror.

"Show it to me."


	7. Chapter 7: The King's Power

For a few seconds, time stood still.

Both combatants faced one another, trying to determine who would make the first move.

Finally Davos lunged forward with a warcry as he intended to end the battle in a single strike, their two blades met and the struggle was incredibly brief before Percy overpowered his half-brother.

The second iceblade slammed against Davos's shield and the impact sent the godling skidding across the floor, only barely managing to hold on to his weapons.

Not one to be easily discouraged, Davos merely moved for another attack. And then even more after that.

He might as well have been hitting a rock. Percy wasn't moving in the slightest and barely put in any effort at all in blocking the stabs and slashes that came at him.

Truth to be told, Davos had never been so frustrated in his entire life. In most fights, even when he was being outclassed, he was at least able to leave a mark of some kind. His attacks usually did something, even if it wasn't enough to win the fight. But in this case it was like fighting a mountain using a stick. Not a single scratch was visible on his armor at all and the King didn't appear to be fatigued, let alone harmed.

In rage and frustration, he recklessly charged at the opposing warrior.

Only for his blade to be caught against the armguard and an armored knee was slammed into his gut with such strength that Davos felt the contents of his stomach rising up his throat and spilling out on the ground. His vision swimmed and his legs buckled out from underneath him.

He wiped the vomit from his mouth and shakily got up on his feet to see his adversary waiting patiently for him to recover. Instead of being grateful for this opportunity to pull himself together, he felt insulted.

Percy wasn't taking him seriously at all. All the bastard did was stand there and take hits like no tomorrow, barely throwing any attacks at all outside of countering his own.

How was it that even after all of his training, all of those sleepless nights he practiced until his body couldn't take it anymore, he still couldn't lay a hand on the inferior cretin that just so happened to share his divine blood?

"What's the matter? I was under the impression that you were going to fight me proper, not just flail around angrily."

The sound of that incredible confidence, the assurance that he had already won, awakened a rage unlike any other.

His vision was bathed in crimson fury and the adrenaline was mostly successful in drowning out the pain was shooting through his entire body.

"Fight you proper?! You are the one who merely stands there, not even attacking yourself. How about you about you cease stalling and fight me FOR REAL?!"

He roared in fury as he charged one last time in desperation, his blade ablaze with the power of thunder.

Lightning met ice and Davos felt a small glimmer of hope as he saw his edge slowly chipping into the ice-blade, only to have it be cruelly be ripped away as he was kicked into the chest and his last strength was drained away as he was harshly slammed into the ice-wall behind him.

Never before had Davos felt so much fear as the armored goliath was walking towards him with eyes like pure death, he only barely managed to get up before he was met by a brutal beatdown.

Each punch was followed by the cracks of bones breaking and Davos had no chance to defend himself as he was overwhelmed by this incredible power.

Finally he laid on the floor, the majority of his bones broken into pieces and his skin covered in a undistinguishable pattern of bruises in various colors. He tried to rise but not only didn't he no longer possess the strength to do so, but he found himself pinned beneath the steel-boot in a way that made his already broken ribs shatter even more.

Davos watched in horror as the Lich King brandish his weapon as if he prepared to pierce his skull on it. The young hero frantically thrashed around in a desperate attempt to get out of the way of the sword.

The blade descended.

Davos let out a terrified highpitched scream as he shut his eyes out of pure fear.

A sharp pain hit him from the right side of his head.

And then nothing.

Davos carefully opened his eyes, only to find the iceblade buried in the floor right next to his head. So close that he felt the cool surface of it against his face.

Strands of hair fell to the ground and the faint smell of blood hit him.

He had been spared.

If only barely.

"That is why I didn't fight you for real."

Davos merely stared up at his now undead halfsibling with eyes of complete and utter contempt.

He couldn't believe it.

Percy had defeated him, barely getting a scratch in the process.

A perfect victory.

He screamed in pure agony and the pain of his crushing defeat as Percy turned his back to him and now addressed his comrades, not even sending a glance in his direction.

"Take him out of my sight and leave this island. May your ships carry you safely across the sea."

As he was being dragged away by a furious Thalia and a sorrowful Annabeth, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the armored king.

_Percy, I swear that I will battle you once again. And next time, I am going to be the one who is standing over you as I tear you down from your throne..._

-line-

Once everyone was onboard the ships, the ice that surrounded them suddenly withdrew with no logical explanation.

Just like he had promised.

As Northend faded more and more into the horizon, Thalia kept her eyes on Annabeth who was staring out to sea with a distant expression on her face, clearly thinking about Percy.

Davos had been deposited in an empty cabin with no way to move considering how broken his body was so Thalia felt a little more safe to approach Annabeth than she would be otherwise.

"Anna, what did you and Percy talk about?"

The young goddess looked back at her with sorrow in her eyes.

"Thalia, you have to promise that you won't interrupt me. This is important."

The tone in her voice was dead serious and Thalia sat down next to her, interested in what she had to say yet remained equally serious.

"I promise."

A grateful smile made its way onto Anna's lips but it faded once she started to speak.

"He and I talked about many things but I learned a lot about him. Much has happened since he was banished and he is no longer amongst us, he is no longer amongst the living. Yet he still carries a power equal to that of the gods, if not greater in its own right."

Thalia almost couldn't believe it, that there was anything out there with the power to rival the gods.

But then again, she had seen the Lich King's power first hand. She had felt how every part of the island was imbued with his presence, from the sea and the earth he stood upon to every single soldier of his countless army.

He was like an avalanche, he simply couldn't be stopped with brute force alone.

Was it possible that Percy had managed to somehow obtain a twisted form of godhood in his new cursed existence?

That was a topic that she had to bring up to the gods...

But she had promised Annabeth that she wouldn't interrupt, so she simply saved her questions for later.

"But I learned something far worse."

Thalia leaned forward with an unsettling feeling in her gut, she had a feeling that she was not going to like what she was about to hear.

"Thalia, Davos lied to all of us. Percy never attacked Naomi, he was innocent."

What?

Davos?

The God of Champions?

A liar?

She looked over to her old friend.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"The scales don't lie, Thalia."

The huntress had to sit down, this was a horrendous discovery. Falsifying such a serious crime was bad enough but it had also gotten a child of one of the Big Three exiled unjustly.

This was nothing short of the scandal of the century.

"We have to bring this before the Gods, Annabeth. This is awful and Percy deserves justice, undead or not."

Annabeth shook her head sadly.

"They won't heed us. It is the words of Zeus's favorite versus the story of Percy's former allies. Even my status as the Goddess of Truth will not protect me from accusations of trying to slander Davos in the name of my former lover."

Thalia sighed, already seeing the scenario Anna just painted play out in her head. It would be words against words, and it was no secret that Zeus would pick the ones from his pupil every time.

"Then what should we do?"

"I don't know, Thalia. I really wish that I did."

The two just sat there in silence for a while until Thalia brought up an even bigger question.

"Who should tell Poseidon?"

**Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait but things have been a little hectic in my personal life and putting the fight-scene together was a pain and a half. I hope that I didn't mess up too much...**


End file.
